Tips before a Utah Road Trip
A few things to know and do before an amazing trip to Utah!
Hellooo fellow travelers, get ready for a road trip like no other — with an abundance of stunning formations, panormic viewpoints, and roads that go straight into the horizon! As with any trip, no matter what the preparation, there will always be something new you experience that you were just not expecting. A lot of them come as exciting new memories, and some are just annoying. It’s all part of travelling. This article is just to help you reduce some of the more annoying i-wish-i-had-just-googled-this moments, and make your trip just a teeny bit smoother!
Here are the things I wish I knew before my Southwest Road Trip!
1. Download Offline Maps
(and songs, podcasts, reservations etc) The vast, open landscapes of inner Utah often don’t have internet connectivity, so make sure you have maps and guides downloaded before you head away from the main cities. Google maps has an offline maps option!
2. Make reservations!
MAKE BOOKINGS EARLY! You’ll need reservations for Antelope Canyon, Angels Landing (Zion National Park), Havasupai Falls, Arches National Park, The Wave, Kannara Falls, among others.
For reservation links and more information, read the Travel Theory article dedicated solely to permits:
3. Bring sunscreen and cap
It’s going to be sunny and hot for most of your journey. Apply plenty of sunscreen and a cap for when you step out of the car to enjoy any of you the infinite beautiful hikes and trails that Utah has to offer. Make sure you have plenty of water too to stay hydrated.
4. …but also bring a jacket/layers
It was blazing hot in Zion National Park when we did our 5 hour long Angel’s Landing hike. At this exact same time, it was SNOWING in the nearest National Park — Bryce Canyon. You’ll probably encounter hot sunny days and soaring temperatures in most of your journey, but you never know when the weather will switch up on you.
5. Keep buffer time (for new spots!)
I promise you will come across new vistas, trails, or attractions that you may have not have planned originially in your itinerary. It’s possible that you just happen to find it while on the road, or that a couple in a campervan tell you about in a parking lot, or that you just you come across it while scrolling on Instagram at night — in any case, don’t miss out on that spot just because you don’t have time. Just a little buffer in your planning can offer this much-needed flexibility!
6. Get a 4WD car with high clearance
You’ll definitely be going through some rugged dirt roads. The Monument Valley scenic loop has about 2 hours of dirt roads. Canyonlands’ Shafer Canyon and Potash Roads, and Capitol Reef’s Cathedral Valley Loop also have long stretches of unpaved roads, and 4 wheel drives with high clearance are highly recommended.
Conclusion
By keeping these tips in mind, I hope you’ll be better prepared to navigate the amazing landscapes of Utah create unforgettable memories. To quickly summarize, here were the 6 tips:
- Download Offline Maps
- Make reservations!
- Bring sunscreen and cap
- …but also bring a jacket/layers
- Keep buffer time (for new spots!)
- Get a 4WD car with high clearance
Safe travels! 🏜️
